James Del Rio ’25 djs in Paresky Commons on Saturday.
Students rushed from Lower Left to Lower Right as songs switched and crowds shuffled around. Music crossfaded and lights flashed, leaving the ambiance ever-changing as student DJs played tracks like “Kill Bill” by SZA and “Meltdown” by Drake.
The student-run Battle of The DJs Dance was held in Paresky Commons last Saturday night. The music of the dance was controlled by DJs Matteo Horvat ’25, James del Rio ’25, Max Dabbous ’24, and Sadie Pease ’24, who each brought their unique styles and music taste to the lively event. Horvat explained how he curated two different sets for different dance floors.
“I did two sections, 9:00 to 9:30 in Lower Left and 10:30 to 11:00 in Lower Right. For Lower Left, because of the smaller venue and room, I went for a calmer vibe to start with. I played a lot of Drake, Brent Faiyaz, Kanye, Frank Ocean, and Steve Lacy…When I played at 10:30 the room was packed so I knew everything I played had to be a hit,” said Horvat.
All attendees could find something to enjoy within the varied set list and musical differences across the two sides of Paresky Commons. Kelly MacKinnon ’27, for example, enjoyed the less crowded and slower Lower Left compared to Lower Right.
“I found myself in Lower Left a lot, especially in the beginning, [when] not many people were there, but I did like the music a lot better. They always had…a good rhythm to it, which was more fun to dance to… A lot of times one side would be a lot more crowded than the other. I thought [it] was interesting how much influence other people had over other people at the dance,” said MacKinnon.
Many attendees appreciated the diversity of music and large venue space, cultivating an enthusiastic energy throughout the night. This freedom allowed people to let loose and dance with their friends, according to Evie Lagrandeur ’26.
“It [was] different [than other dances] because it gave more options, so…if you didn’t like one side or music, it was easy to go to another place with different music. It made things more enjoyable and more for everyone,” said Lagrandeur.
The improvisational nature of dance was exhilarating for students as well; the constant changes from the DJs made sure the excitement never died down. Horvat further elaborated on his on-the-fly changes with his quick, instinctive song selection which kept the crowd entertained, and looks forward to The Bassment dance, an exciting future event he will also be DJ-ing for.
“Usually, I prioritize less…my transitioning in and out of songs, and instead prioritize my song choice and how long I am playing for. There were a few moments where I think I could have let the song [play] a bit longer, but the songs I followed up with still seemed like a hit for the crowd…,” said Horvat.
